Dr. Appt Yesterday!

Hey everyone!

Just thought I’d post a little info about the Dr. Appt we had yesterday for Lily.  Her A1C was up from 6.7 to 7.4.  This was not a big shocker since her blood sugars were running much higher when she was in competitive swimming.  Since pulling her from the team, her numbers have been much better and more stable ‘AS LONG AS’ she stays away from the grains and sugars.  The doc suggested we keep track of her morning numbers to see how those are doing and if the Lantus is at the right dose.  This way we can determine if her Novolog is actually doing it’s job and everything is on track (since we are on a sliding scale).  She is still able to be on a low amount of insulin which the doctor is happy about and does attribute this to her diet.  So our new goal is finding an exercise she loves that loves her pancreas!  Aside from this, I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday break.  Lily’s birthday is in two days.  15 years have flown by.  Makes me sad to think about how big my girls are getting:(  Love to all and I’ll post again soon!

Tea Time!!!

Metabolism. 2011 Dec 5. [Epub ahead of print]

A tea/vanadate decoction delivered orally over 14 months to diabetic rats induces long-term glycemic stability without organ toxicity.

Source

Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3E OW3.

Abstract

Vanadium can induce potent hypoglycemic effects in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus animals, but toxic adverse effects have inhibited the translation of these findings. Administration of vanadate in a black tea decoction has shown impressive hypoglycemic effects without evidence of toxicity in short-term studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic action and the toxic adverse effects of a tea/vanadate (T/V) decoction in diabetic rats over a 14-month treatment period. Streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus rats were orally gavaged with 40 mg sodium vanadate in a black tea decoction only when blood glucose levels were greater than 10 mmol/L. Glycemic status and liver and kidney function were monitored over 14 months. All of the diabetic rats in this treatment group (n = 25) required treatment with the T/V decoction at the start of the study to reduce blood glucose levels to less than 10 mmol/L. Diarrhea was uncommon among the T/V-treated animals during the first week of T/V treatment and was absent thereafter. There was no evidence of liver or kidney dysfunction or injury. From 2 to 6 months, fewer animals required the T/V treatment to maintain their blood glucose levels. After 9 months of treatment, none of the diabetic animals required any T/V to maintain their blood glucose levels at less than 10 mmol/L. Oral administration of a T/V decoction provides safe, long-acting hypoglycemic effects in type 1 diabetes mellitus rats. The typical glycemic signs of diabetes were absent for the last 5 months of the study.

Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

PMID:

 22146096

[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Morning Shake

Okay, today, I’m making a very strong effort not to complain.  Even though I really want to.  I won’t.  Besides, don’t we all have ‘stuff’ going on?  So I am going to share something useful (I hope).

A few days ago, my family and I visited a restaurant in Nashville called the “Wild Cow”.  It is a vegan restaurant and oh so yummy!  I’d seriously give it ten stars if I could.  Anyhoo, we had a few shakes there, and when I came home, I made one and it is YUMMMMIlicious.  So here’s my version.

 

1 avacado

1 can coconut milk (or 1 c. almond, hemp or other healthy beverage)

WE use a tbsp of agave, but you can use Stevia to taste

a few kale leaves (stems removed)

1 banana

ice (depending on how thick you want it)

we also add chia seeds, but you don’t have to

Blend

 

Let me know what you think

This thing is full of potassium and yummy fat.  You can also add shredded raw coconut or whatever you like to make it thicker, sweeter, etc.  Just play around with it.  Enjoy!!

 

 

Mitochondrial Disease

It’s been a crazy week.  Lily had a migraine for two days straight, then threw up all the way home from school yesterday (I picked her up early).  Her blood sugars were within normal range (95) all day because she had not eaten.  I thought I was going to have to take her to the hospital.  She had no fever and did not at any time go low.  My husband and I believe it may be that she is having metabolic or lactic acidosis because of her underlying mitochondrial disorder and diabetes…..and possibly caused by the swimming the other night when she got out of the pool hyperventilating and almost passed out.  She thought it was asthma…but all of her symptoms completely match up with lactic acidosis and since she has two diagnosis that cause lactic acidosis, this makes perfect sense. However, we decided to take her off the swim team.  Even though she loves swimming, I don’t think she is able to compete safely.  I have decided to spend more time on finding a way to get further testing for her and her sister who is not diabetic.  I want to know specifically what is going on with them.  I want to know if Lily’s  mitochondrial disorder is going to get worse.  I honestly don’t know why I want to know sometimes.  It makes me cry to read about the kids who have mito.  I’m very fortunate that my kids seem to be mildly affected (as far as not having to use wheelchairs or feeding tubes, etc) for now.  I just don’t like to read about all of the possible future problems.  It scares me.  I have located a doctor in Ohio who is one of the top mito docs in the country (Bruce Cohen).  Lily’s labs were actually sent there when she was 9 months old which resulted in her current mito dx.  I am going to try and get an appt with him if possible.  I’m hoping he can give us a more detailed view of what’s going on.  The trick is getting the appt and I’m just wondering how long it will take.  More later.

 

Vitamin D

Here’s a new study on Vitamin D and Type 1.
Ann Nutr Metab. 2011;59(1):22-7. Epub 2011 Nov 25.

Health effects related to low vitamin d concentrations: beyond bone metabolism.

Source

GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) research group, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D is essential for a vast number of physiologic processes, and thus adequate levels are necessary or advantageous for optimal health. During childhood and adolescence, an adequate vitamin D status is needed due to its important role in cell growth, skeletal structure, and development. Aims: To review the extraskeletal effects of vitamin D, focusing especially on children. Methods: Narrative review. Results: Low vitamin D concentrations seem to be significantly associated with all-cause mortality. Regular sunlight exposure and vitamin D supplementation in early childhood may offer protection against the development of type 1 diabetes. Epidemiological evidence supports the importance of adequate vitamin D levels for the prevention of a number of cancers, mainly breast and colorectal ones. There seems to be an inverse relation between 25(OH)D serum concentrations and cardiovascular diseases, some components of the metabolic syndrome, and physical fitness. Conclusions: Lifestyle and appropriate nutrition may prevent the long-term effect of hypovitaminosis D beyond mineral and bone metabolism.

Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PMID:

 

22123633

 

[PubMed - in process]

Good Numbers (yay)

Okay, so today, Lily’s numbers were nearly perfect.  We had been allowing her to eat higher carbs in the morning (gluten free cereal or toast) and today, I made her homemade cereal instead.  I used walnuts and almonds, cocoa powder, coconut flakes (raw/organic), coconut oil, hemp flour, clear agave (raw), chia seeds…I think that’s it….and pulsed it in the food processor for about a minute.  She didn’t go over 120 all day.  However, at swim practice, she dipped down to 52, but even after swim, she was not high like usual.  Boy, don’t ya just wish we all had zippers on the front of our bodies so we could open them up, fix what’s wrong and zip up again?  My grandmother used to say that, and I thought she was crazy…but now I realize, she was truly a genius!!  Hope you all have a blessed week.

 

Swim and Diabetes

My daughter had her first swim meet last night, and wish I could say it went well, but I can’t.  Everything was actually fine until she had to compete.  The first heat was only a 50 meter freestyle.  She started out great, but by the end, I could tell she was upset. I though it was because she thought she didn’t do well.  But after the 100 m, she was practically hyperventilating and when we checked her blood sugar, it was almost 300.  On the way home, she didn’t want to eat even though she was hungry, then developed a huge migraine.  I am not sure if this all had to do with her nerves (this was her first meet), but we are going to the doctor next month and I’m going to talk to him about this.  I’ve heard that anaerobic exercise can actually increase bg’s….but only if you start exercising at an already high level.  My fear is that she starts too low, then drops rapidly.  We have to figure out what level works for her.  Needless to say, I was worried all night and didn’t sleep much.  Hoping we can get this thing called diabetes under good control.  I know I shouldn’t worry, but sometimes, it just hits me.  Prayers please.

504 Plans, Fun Teachers and New Video

Wow, it’s been a while eh?  How’s everyone doing?  I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving.  I have lots to be thankful for and I hope you do to.

So much has been going on recently with Lily.  Besides the crazy blood sugars that come along with the oh so fun teen years, we have a new school, new friends and yes, new teachers.  Which leads me to this wonderful new post…..504 Plans!

Here’s a link for anyone interested….http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/parents-and-kids/diabetes-care-at-school/written-care-plans/section-504-plan.html

Does anyone reading this have one?  How did you find out about them?  What led you to want to implement one?  I want to hear your stories.

Until then….here’s ours:

Once upon a time, there was a girl with Diabetes and Mitochondrial Disorder who missed a day of school ( a Friday) because she was not feeling well.  Her mother sent her back to school on Monday and forgot to send a note excusing her absence.  When the girl handed in her assignment that was due on Friday to her teacher, the teacher proceeded to question the girl in front of the class as to why she was absent, then refused to accept the assignment until mother sent a note to school excusing the absence.  Mom sent an email that day to the teacher explaining that she was extremely sorry for forgetting the note and that the girl would bring one the next day.  The teacher did not respond.  The next day, the girl brought the excused note to the teacher and the teacher would not take it and refused the assignment once again.  Then, the teacher asked the girl if her she had her mother ‘lie’ for her and say she was sick.  When the girl was picked up  that day, she relayed this information, her mother was very upset and went in to speak to the principle about the teacher’s comment.  The principle took the assignment and turned it in for the girl.  The teacher (now a bit annoyed) gave the girl a zero for the assignment.  Mom went back to the principle and asked for the grade to be changed to reflect the credit her daughter should have been given.  The teacher changed the grade from a zero to a 50%….yes, still and F.  However, another student who was absent the same day, was given full credit for the assignment.  This confused the mother, so she left two phone numbers with the principle to give to the teacher so the teacher could call the mom to work things out.  However, the teacher ignored the mother’s requests to speak with her and graded her daughter down on several assignments.  So tomorrow, my husband and I get to meet with the principle to implement a 504 plan so that this does not occur in the future.  As for the teacher?  There’s not much that can be done about her, however, I believe that she atleast owes an apology.  Not sure that will ever happen.  We have decided not to change her class because it would mean that all of her classes would be changed as well.  She is getting straight A’s in every class but this one.  This is an honors English teacher, mind you.  I wonder what grade she’d give me on this post?

So, that’s the “fun” thing we’re dealing with right now.  Just praying that this will be resolved and no future action will have to be taken on our parts.  If only everyone could be fair, the world would be a much more peaceful place, right?

So for now, I have a little video to share and I hope you enjoy it.  It’s Lily’s latest performance for the school talent show.

http://www.youtube.com/user/mayknmusic

I hope you all like the new look of the blog, and have a happy and safe Holiday season!!

Jayne